Exoskeletons are passive or powered structures worn and controlled by an individual. Exoskeletons allow an individual to manipulate items with less physical exertion than would be possible without the exoskeleton. For example, an exoskeleton may be used to allow a user to move relatively heavy items from one location to another location, or to carry an item over a distance.
A powered exoskeleton applies forces to one or more links of an exoskeleton structure to reduce the amount of force that an individual would otherwise have to apply. However, some conventional exoskeletons rely on mechanical sensors that detect a force being applied by the individual to determine when and how much force to apply to a link. Since these mechanical sensors still require the individual to exert a force against the link before the exoskeleton applies its own force to the link, these arrangements can lead to fatigue. Some conventional powered exoskeletons also rely on algorithms, such as predictive algorithms, to determine when and how much force to apply to a link, but these predictive algorithms do not sufficiently mimic the way individuals naturally move, resulting in the individual at times counteracting against the movement of the exoskeleton, which can also lead to fatigue.